The factions say they want Trevor to come lead and are fiercely opposed to the putting forward of Thabang’s name, alleging this is “against the wishes of branches”.
The presidential ambition of ANCYL NEC member Ndumiso Mokako as well as that of provincial secretary Pholoso Mbatsane who wants to be the national secretary of the league are setting comrades against each other in the Nkangala region ahead of the league’s 26th national elective congress.
All hell broke loose at the eMalahleni civic theatre over the weekend when ANC Youth League members turned on each other during a planned Regional General Council of the league in the Nkangala region.
Sounds of voices and commotion could be heard from the road across as comrades raced to the door, running for their lives amidst fist fights and wielding of guns as comrades attacked each other, bringing the Nkangala RGC to a halt.
Those who attended the RGC on Sunday afternoon said it all began when regional secretary Thabang Mathebula was about to address delegates and “one of the delegates shouted, ‘Comrades, let’s leave. We can’t listen to Thabang’ and it started there”.
One of the delegates said they all received a message inviting them to the special RGC planned for 9 September “and we got there as expected,’ he told the 013NEWS reporter.
“The registration started at around 9 in the morning and concluded at around 2 afternoon,” he said when he spoke to the reporter.
“Then when we were supposed to get inside the hall we had a problem of comrades who were not registered properly.
“For an example, initially we were told that comrades who were supposed to attend the RGC were supposed to be those who were delegates to the regional congress in May 2018. When we saw that there were others who were not part of the May conference inside the hall we raised some disputes with the REC leadership and they were obliged to hold a meeting as a regional executive committee to resolve these disputes and after their meeting all delegates were asked to come to the hall in order for leadership to address them,” he said.
“So the regional chairperson Bobo Mtshweni addressed us and said that there were technicalities in the registration process and therefore as leadership they had resolved that the RGC would have to be postponed,” the delegate told the 013NEWS reporter on Sunday night.
“That’s where the war started,” he said, “Mathebula wanted to say something and we refused. Comrades started fighting us and using pepper sprays and all other things to harm us,” the member who belongs to a disgruntled faction said.
013NEWS has learnt that the Nkangala RGC was expected to pronounce on who the region supports between provincial deputy leader Trevor Nkosi and Mathebula.
Both Nkosi and Mathebula are contesting for the position of Mpumalanga ANCYL chair.
ALSO RELATED: Thabang Mathebula longs for meeting with Trevor Nkosi ahead of provincial congress
Mpumalanga is preparing for a league elective conference and the regions are divided between Mokako and Mbatsane going to the national conference.
Gert Sibande region wants Mokako to become the President of the league and KZN secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo to be the national secretary.
But eHlanzeni region wants Mbatsane to be the national secretary on a slate that wants national treasurer Reggie Nkabinde to be the President.
A week ago, the Nkangala REC pronounced they would support Mbatsane to be the national secretary and that they were in discussion with Nkabinde for the position of President. They said they would not support Mokako but this has set them against other factions within the organisation in the region who alleged their pronouncing of Mbatsane and Nkabinde were “against the wishes of branches”.
They say the REC has been “fed this poison” by former regional leader Mduduzi “Mswati” Nkosi who they say is the “mastermind” and “runs the show from behind” and they were “totally against that”.
They say all their problems “as young people” have been caused by Mswati.
They say Mathebula is Mswati’s “stooge” and “cannot be expected to be the provincial chair”, instead Nkosi should go lead.
“We are like this because of Mswati. We can’t continue the problem to the province. No, no,” one member, Sipho Mahlangu, said when he spoke to the reporter on Sunday night.
He said he was chased with a gun when the commotion began at the eMalahleni civic theatre and was going to report them to his father.
“I know who they are. These are our own hired comrades. I will seek advice from my father on what to do or to open a case of attempted murder or what,” Mahlangu said.
eHlanzeni regional secretary Siyabonga Malandule said as a region they are “clear” on who they want ahead of the provincial and national congresses.
He said they want Mbatsane to retain the post of provincial secretary and then be elevated to the post of national secretary when a the 26th national congress is held later on.
“We have started with BGMs already and Mbatsane is leading in nominations,” Malandule said.
“Processes are running smooth and branches are talking,” he said.
He said on the issue of Nkosi and Mathebula contesting the seat of provincial chairperson they will “allow branches to do that process” but they were in “discussions” with Nkabinde for the position of President.
Provincial spokesman Bheki Sithole didn’t reply to an sms enquiry.
Mswati said it was a lie he was running the show from behind.
“What show?” he said when asked over the weekend.
“I know nothing,” he said.
“Delegates of Nkangala ANCYL 6th congress exercised their democratic rights and they were the only region that went to IEC ballot box. So same as in the province, the branches will speak,” he said.
“Mine is just to avail myself only if I’m needed or I must be involved and now they are sounding as if it’s me who owns ANCYL, they must know I don’t own ANCYL nor does ANCYL owe me.
“But it is ANCYL that has moulded me and that’s why I’ll always advice where needed, defend and be jealous of ANCYL,” he said.
(edited by ZK)
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